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SUMMARY:Developing predictive trait-based scaling theory applied to forest
s that span broad temperature gradients - Dr Brian Enquist (University of
Arizona)
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20170505T151500Z
DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20170505T173000Z
UID:https://talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/ce3d5f85-ffbc-432d-a732-ae8bdbbc4a9e/
DESCRIPTION:OCTF seminar followed by drinks\n\nTropical elevation gradient
s are natural laboratories to assess how changing climate can influence tr
opical forests. However\, there is a need for theory and integrated data c
ollection to scale from traits to ecosystems. Predictions of a novel trai
t-based metabolic scaling theory are assessed including (i) if observed sh
ifts in forest traits across a broad tropical temperature gradient are con
sistent with local phenotypic optima and adaptive compensation for tempera
ture\; and (ii) if the distribution of traits distributions is consistent
with the importance of local filtering of optimal growth traits and recent
shifts in species composition and dominance due to warming from climate c
hange. Brian will present data from a collaborative effort of several ins
titutions across the globe where field work was conducted across forests s
panning 3300m in elevation in southern Perú as well as a broad sampling
of forests across the globe. Several predictions of theory were tested by
assessing the covariation between climate\, traits\, biomass and also eco
system gross and net primary productivity (GPP and NPP). Multiple leaf phy
siological\, morphological\, and stoichiometric traits linked to variation
in tree growth were measured and their frequency distributions within and
across temperature gradients assessed. These trait measures were paired a
cross individuals within forests where simultaneous measures of ecosystem
net and gross primary productivity were also measured. Brian will present
evidence that new advances in trait-based metabolic scaling theory provid
es a basis to predict how shifts in climate have and will influence the tr
ait composition and ecosystem functioning of forests. \n\nBrian Enquist is
a Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the
University of Arizona and External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute. H
is research focuses on global ecology\, macroecology\, plant functional ec
ology. He is a broadly trained ecologist/biologist and plant ecophysiologi
st. His research focuses on: (i) understanding the origin and maintenance
of biological diversity\; (ii) scaling biological phenomena from genes to
ecosystems\; and (iii) developing new tools and approaches to predicting h
ow climate change will influence biological diversity and the functioning
of ecosystems. A common theoretical theme focuses on the origin and ramif
ications of biological scaling laws. To address these questions he often w
orks in tropical forests of Peru\, Panama\, and Costa Rica as well as the
high alpine meadows of Colorado. His lab group uses physiological\, ecosys
tem\, big data informatics\, and theoretical methods. He is the lead PI fo
r the Botanical Information and Ecology Network\, an unprecedented plant c
yberinfrastructure project providing access to unmatched amounts of geospa
tial and trait data for plants He is currently an Oxford Martin School Fe
llow and Leverhulme visiting Professor at Oxford University. In addition
he is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
He is recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship to study in Costa Rica\; the E
cological Society of America’s Young Investigator Mercer Award\; a Natio
nal Science Foundation young investigator’s (NSF) CAREER Award\; and was
highlighted as one of Popular Mechanics ‘Brilliant Top 10’ Young Res
earchers. \nSpeakers:\nDr Brian Enquist (University of Arizona)
LOCATION:Dyson Perrins Building (Herbertson Room)\, off South Parks Road O
X1 3QY
URL:https://talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/ce3d5f85-ffbc-432d-a732-ae8bdbbc4a9e/
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DESCRIPTION:Talk:Developing predictive trait-based scaling theory applied
to forests that span broad temperature gradients - Dr Brian Enquist (Univ
ersity of Arizona)
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